UN Secretary General: I thank for convening the Global Baku Forum

"I thank the Nizami Ganjavi International Centre for convening the seventh Global Baku Forum," UN Secretary General António Guterres said in a message, read out at the forum opening ceremony.

"Our world faces a paradox: challenges are increasingly interconnected, yet responses are fragmented. From environmental threats and armed conflicts to rising inequality and intolerance, multilateralism is needed more than ever. But simply saying this is not enough. We need to show that we are mobilizing solutions," he said.

The UN secretary general especially stressed the issue of climate change. "I am convening a climate action summit in September in New York to raise ambition to meet this global existential challenge. I will count on your support in both sounding the alarm and highlighting the opportunities of climate action."

"Cooperation with other multilateral institutions, regional organizations, civil society, the private sector, and other stakeholders is essential. In that spirit of partnership, I welcome your commitment to dialogue and offer my best wishes for a fruitful meeting," the UN chief said in the statement.